


Behind the Walls of Graniny Gorki

by The_Anemoia



Category: Metal Gear
Genre: Angst, Chapter sizes will vary, Escape, F/M, Graniny Gorki/Гранины Горки, Just after the events of the Virtuous Mission but before Operation Snake Eater, Kidnapping, Not a happy ending for the reader, Perturbation, Playing off fear, Similar to an insert but with a name already, Stalking, Teasing, The forest outside of Graniny Gorki, Traps, prisoner, reader - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-05-12
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:13:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23778946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Anemoia/pseuds/The_Anemoia
Summary: To commemorate the Cobra Unit's succession in reuniting, an artist is reluctantly taken past the walls of Graniny Gorki to create a portrait of the iconic members.
Relationships: The Fear/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 2





	1. Arrival

"I mean- even with a bag over her head, do you really think it matters?" The voice sounded so casual in comparison to the hard grips that held the prisoner's arms as she was forced down a corridor, feet occasionally dragging when she couldn't keep up with the GRU soldiers pace. 

"Boss' formalities, you know that." A second careless voice responded as the prisoner's right arm was briefly released. After the sound of a door opening, the grip soon enough returned to hold on and she could feel the atmosphere change. They were entering a new room. With a little bit more push and pull, she was guided to a chair. "Don't move a muscle!" He didn't need to repeat it twice as she froze in place knowing the commanding change in tone wasn't directed at the former soldier.

Despite being unable to see, she could hear footsteps travel around her and by the sounds of it, the room wasn't very big at all with hardwood floors and some carpeting. As to why she was abducted from her apartment in the first place, she couldn't figure out. What could an artist have anything to do with this? There were no loans owing, no contracts, nothing. The vague memories of getting taken during the night as well as the on and off consciousness kept her nerves shaken. When questions were asked, demands were the answers and so there was no choice but to blindly obey. Who knew how much time had passed since this all started or where she was now. 

With a startling bang, a door was opened. "Boss!" The soldiers greeted. 

"That will be everything gentlemen. Leave us." The voice was feminine, carrying a slightly aged weight to it. A few seconds passed for the soldiers to take their unseen leave before the bagged veil was gentle pulled up over the prisoner's flustered face, confusion and distress still ever present. The lights were dim enough in the brown room which made it easier for the eyes to focus on the pale face that the voice belonged to. "Are you alright?" Marta?" 

The prisoner watched as the blonde woman undid her wrist ties. What was happening? She was almost afraid to ask. "Why am I here? How do you know me?" 

The woman looked down, giving the prisoner's eyes the second to be distracted by the relatively form fitting leather outfit she wore. A combination of white and silver with belts and padding, this was no ordinary costume. "I should have known this would happen but this was the only way to get you here without any issues. I have many names amongst both my colleagues and my enemies but to most, I am known as 'The Boss'." Marta knew the name well enough to recognize some familiarity with it. "I had you brought here for a special reason, because you are an artist." 

Marta rubbed her bruised wrists but never dared to move from her chair as the other woman straightened her posture and stepped back to give some space between them all the while explaining who she was and where they were. "... and because we Cobras are finally reunited once again, I ask of you-"

"Filling the little Lady out on her job?" Before The Boss could finish her sentence, a broad figure stepped into the doorway, the footsteps growing louder with every heavy step he so easily took. Marta's eyes quickly scanned him up and down. A towering man wearing an olive button up trench coat and orange gloves, he pursed a crude smile, much of his face muddied with scars save for the left side of his face that seemed to take the brunt of it. 

"In fact I was just finishing up if you don't mind." Her softened expression instantly hardened as she glanced over to the newcomer obviously trying to hold back some contempt for his sheer ignorance. 

"Not at all." he crossed his arms and leaned just beside the door, his shoulders practically coming up to a nearby photo that was framed on the wall. Marta managed to pull her attention away but only enough to note he was still in her peripheral. 

The Boss looked back to the younger woman sitting before her. "And so Marta, I am asking that you create a portrait of our unit. Your skills are nothing short of exceptional and it would be an honor to have it memorialized. On grounds that you do not try to leave during your stay, you will be accommodated with food and a room. Should you try to tell anyone about any of this then know you're forfeiting your own life." 

Marta raised her gaze and shyly glanced around the room seeing mainly the average house furniture and decoration, nothing worth accommodating for an artist. "What..." she paused before quietly swallowing, choosing her words carefully as she tried to grasp all the information being given to her. "What will I use? Medium wise? I don't have any of my tools to do this." 

Before the man could answer as he straightened up and stepped forward, The Boss raised a gloved hand in silence. "We will supply you with anything you may need. From your previous works, you're an expect on oils." With a silent agreement, she continued. "This works fine for us as well. With this room as your temporary studio, you'll have time for breaks, rest- as much as we can provide given security limitations. You'll be treated as a guest but I advise not to abuse this either. When this is done, you'll be rewarded handsomely and brought back to your home." 

"Understood." 

"Is there anything I need to repeat?" When Marta shook her head 'no', The Boss stretched an arm out towards the door. "Good. If you follow me, I'll be showing you your living quarters." 

Marta followed after but not before having to pass the intimidating man who decided to follow lastly after them, an amused scoff leaving his nose as she walked by. Pushing his overbearing gaze out of her mind, she silently observed the buildings interior as she was briefed further along down the hall.

"We Cobras may be reunited but as far as having the time to help make the portrait together goes, there just isn't enough time. I trust you can handle one on one sessions to fill us in as group?"

As they rounded a corner, Martin eyed a masked GRU soldier as he came from the opposite direction, patrolling the second floor with an assault rifle in his hands. "Easily." she managed to say without delay as they continued on, coming up to a wooden door on the left near the end of the hall. When The Boss opened it, she stepped back and allowed Marta to be the first to proceed inside. With wooden paneling similar to the previous room, this one was at its' bare necessities having a simple cot on metal springs and a plain wooden desk pushed against a wall. With a fairly tall window facing the opposite side, Marta looked around to see the rest of the floor was bare, almost creating an echo wherever she stepped. As to be expected, the room wasn't big at all either. "If there is anything specific you want for the portrait, let me know. Same goes for the others that will be in it." 

The older woman shook her head with a quick smile. "I doubt any of us are picky enough to second guess you're artistic abilities but if that is the case, you will be informed. For now, we'll prep the room and come collect you when it's time to start. I doubt you got much sleep since arriving here." She had a point but who was to say Marta would get any sleep now that she was here? As if she hadn't had enough trouble sleeping at any regular time and place before all this.

"Might I ask who I'll be seeing first among the Cobra Unit?" 

"The End." 


	2. The End & The Fury

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With little time to adjust to her new surroundings, Marta/Reader starts with her portrait sessions of The Cobra Unit.

It had to have been at least a couple hours minimum before anyone came to Marta's door and without a watch, she had no way of knowing except for the brightening of the day. Was it late morning by now? Luckily she had some time beforehand to settle her thoughts and compose herself. With many things, denial became the first obstacle to mentally jump over. Of any artist that could have been picked, why her? She somehow stood out on The Boss' radar that separated her from the others. Amongst the confusing grief of wishing she never pursued this career, a new thought interrupted. 

_'But The Boss said that if I did my job and didn't interfere with any of their work or try to leave, she'd let me go!'_ Marta fought away the misty eyes as she tried to hold onto that thought but how easy it was to assume it was just a simple lie to keep her from trying anything. How could they keep their word and risk possible exposure when it would be so much easier to just off her and been done with this?

There came a knock at the door 

Wiping the corners of her eyes, Marta breathed in deeply and rose to her feet just as the door started opening. 

"Your first session is ready." a GRU soldier leaned partially into the room, his eyes peering through his black balaclava. With a nod of his head, he pushed the door open further. "Let's go." 

Marta nodded and followed after him but once she was out in the hallway, the soldier motioned for her to lead instead, a hand resting close to his hip where a handgun was located. "Don't try anything funny." she would be warned when he caught her eyes noticing this detail. Without a word, she began to walk, all the while her eyes looking around and taking note of what she saw. Maybe two to three guards posted on the upper floor she was on. Elevators and stairs alike to her left, a library on her right. As another soldier walked by, Marta slowly moved closer to the railing, her eyes straining to see what looked like a lobby on the ground floor. 

"The End is waiting for you in the room." The soldier following spoke up as they got to the partially closed door. "When you're done, there's a communicator on the side desk and a note with instructions. Call from it and then you'll be escorted back to your room."

"O-ok." Marta replied somewhat absentmindedly. Lifting her gaze up, she froze upon the sight of a bald elderly man seated in a wheelchair. Large headphones over his age spot covered head, he sat comfortably with his leaf themed camouflage on. Eyes easily blending with the deep wrinkles on his face, he quietly snored away with his hands in his lap. "Is this...?" She turned but was answered with the door closing, now leaving them to be the only two people in the room. 

Might as well take this time to search the room. Marta quietly stepped to where her white canvas was propped up seeing pencils off to one side and then paints, oils and water to the other. Not being the best of quality they would have to do. The pressure to make this canvas look good already began to weigh on her.

"GRANDPA!" a voice called from the silence of the room, practically making Marta jump out of her skin as she whipped her head over to see an Alexandrine Parakeet sitting over the man's shoulder. "GRANDPA!" 

With a small snort, the man woke but didn't seem to mind the shouting bird that suddenly appeared- having come through the opened window that wasn't noticed until now. "Oh, right." he mumbled through his grey beard while straightening himself a little in his seat, the sound of the metal frame creaking a little as it adjusted to his heavy weight. "You are the artist. I heard you have a gift for capturing the emotion of whoever you commission. I look forward to seeing the results." 

_'Must be his pet.'_ Marta realized as she put two and two together with the bird's shouting. "Oh, yes." she tried to not let his gentle demeanor fool her. The Cobra Unit were a ruthless force not to be reckoned with that did the worst and dirtiest of jobs years ago and this man was no exception. Every shot he took as a sniper was a perfect hit and kill every time and with The Boss' news of them getting back together here - this was obviously not for socializing purposes. The thought of this man still being a sniper almost intrigued Marta to the point of distraction from all of this. She was becoming curious to ask him.

"In that case, if you wouldn't mind. I would prefer to be in this portrait as I once was." Grasping the handles of his wheelchair, he leaned forward and rose to his feet, much to the other's alarm and surprise at first. "I am not much of a standing man these days so when you are done, I would appreciate you letting me know." 

"Of course." Marta partially cleared her throat as she tried to shake the surprise from her voice. Quickly sitting herself down, she took hold of the canvas and adjusted its position before she started to sketch the basic posture of the man, having planned he would be near the center but a little off to the left.

"Tell me..." The man started softly. "How long have you been doing this for?" 

It felt oddly nice to have a regular conversation going. "As long as I can remember." she started, reaching over and sharpening her pencil with the small x-acto knife. Knowing she would use the paints and oils later, she only lightly went over the canvas with the graphite. "Just feels second nature to me." 

"Hm... That is good." The End sighed contently. "There is nothing more satisfying then connecting with your passion. I heard my calling when I was about your age- maybe younger. At the time there were those around me that were always in a rush but when it came time, it seemed I was the only one who found results. There are just some things in the world that you cannot demand or expect immediacy from. You just **feel** it." 

As the conversations seamlessly strolled by, The End was finally able to sit back down again but before Marta could ask him anything else he dozed off again. She sighed when the bird shifted from one shoulder to the next and squeaked a short whistle. Was it expected to place the bird in as well? As cute as that idea would be, Marta shook her head and decided not to, taking the silence in so she could finish up. When the 'session's done, only then would she put the final touches on everyone to make it believable they were all originally standing together as group.

"One down... " Marta exhaled leaning back in her chair. When her head lolled to one side, her eyes caught sight of the communicator and note that was on a nearby desk where a small lamp's light shone down over it. She ran her hands over her knees and rose up to investigate what the note had written on it. In an almost scribbled manner, there were a couple lines indicating instructions. The first line informed what button to use on the handheld followed by the second line explaining briefly what to do thereafter which was to basically head back to her room. Lightly biting her lip, Marta did as she was told, holding the communicator up to her ear while The End slept in the background. Only until half a minute later was there an answer over the receiver. "I am calling to inform I'm finished with The End." 

"Good. Wait until there is a guard there to escort you back to your room." 

Glancing to the window and seeing how the sun was still up-albeit behind some clouds, Marta shrugged despite it wasn't seen by the voice she was speaking to. "A-Actually, if another member of the Cobra Unit is ready, I can keep working on the portrait." 

The other end was quiet for a few seconds. "You're in luck." The call ended. 

With uncertainty setting in, Marta turned the communicator off and turned to sit back in her chair. Her gaze fell over to the parakeet who once again switched shoulders on The End. It turned it's head and gave a small chirp. As soon as it noticed the window off to the side the small bird hopped off and into flight. _'If only...'_ Marta thought in envy as she watched the animal leave. 

There came the sound of multiple footsteps that eventually stopped outside the 'studio' door. With a pause that made Marta begin to wonder if she had really heard them, the door finally opened. "Your next **model** is here." A guard spoke as he came over to collect The End. Slowly pushing him and bringing him out of the room, he was soon replaced with a man who walked in wearing a full on cosmonaut suit, helmet and all along with two tanks strapped over his back. He stepped sideways into the room to make up for the amount of space he occupied with the tanks and blasters that extended outwards. The sight of him was more surprising than anything witnessed so far that she barely noticed the GRU soldier trying to motion for her at the door. 

"I'd be careful on talking to him." he tilted his head towards the other, keeping his voice low. "The Fury has a habit of burning things." 

"Let's get this over with!" The Fury's somewhat hindered voice huffed through the glass as he reached from his side to bring out the flamethrower's shaft, the end of the nozzle suddenly sparking with a small flame. "I'm grateful for this experience but there are things I absolutely **must** attend to immediately!"

Hurrying back towards the easel, Marta lifted her hands up defenselessly. "Of course, of course. Please!" she tried not to beg but all she could focus on was the flamethrower and the soldier's warning. "Pose however you like and I will get started." 

"Good!" The gravelly voice rejoiced. Shifting posture with a slight turn of his body, The Fury lowered the weapon in one hand and raised his head. With the various reflections against the tinted helmet, Marta couldn't tell if he was looking directly at her or elsewhere. If she had to, she would improvise his head in based on any previous pictures. If she could get this done faster than she had with The End...

"Make sure to capture my essence!" Marta almost flinched when he spoke again as she had hoped neither of them would talk. "I expect the very image of me to evoke the name itself! Let anyone who dares look upon the portrait feel the rawness of it." When she didn't respond vocally, he raised his voice. "Are you listening to me, girl?" 

She nodded to him, thankful he kept his stance as he held such a weapon. All he needed to do was raise it in her direction and pull the trigger. "I am, The Fury." 

"It's ignorance and filth that plagues this once beautiful world. I saw it with my own eyes both it's glory and it's ruin. A purge of fire will wipe this dirty slate clean and I will be the hand that deals it. The spark to ignite it all!" 

Sharpening her pencil with the knife, Marta paused before setting it back down beside her. Perhaps it was best to keep that tool on herself in case any of this went sideways. The Fury would most likely win but if-for any reason she could use the blade to some advantage, she'll take it. "The Boss had briefed me roughly on your accomplishments, you are certainly more than capable." As she finished a few more lines, she lifted her gaze just as The Fury took a step towards her, breaking his frozen position. Naturally, she leaned back into a stand, the back of her legs shoving the chair to fall backwards with a thud.

"Do you mock me?!" The Fury threatened as he raised the flamethrower's nozzle. 

"No I'm not, I'm just agreeing with you. I just can't get distracted while I do my job." 

The vaguely seen Cobra member kept his weapon pointed at her before he stepped back. "Oh... well then. I suppose you're right." Though he sounded a bit embarrassed by his small outburst, this didn't give Marta any relief. "Please, continue then." 

\--------------------------------

When Marta had finished this session, she got up and headed over towards the communicator only to pause when she heard The Fury's slow footsteps travel across the room. "I thank you for this time and now I am needed elsewhere. May the finished product be remembered by all who bare witness to it. Perhaps you will be spared of this world's cleanse... one day." 

She watched him leave without another word as there came a distant voice from the desk. Once she was left alone did she realize someone was trying to contact her. Snapping back to reality, Marta reached for the communicator, only to have a couple soldiers rush to the room and sigh. 

"You weren't answering and we thought you ran off." The one said as he came over with a hand out. "Come on, your lunch is on the way." 


	3. The Fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With a bit of space in between visits, Marta/Reader collects herself- unawares that The End and The Fury were just the tip of the iceberg as one of the members take an interest to her.

"What do you think you're doing?" 

Marta froze in the doorway of the restroom, her gaze suddenly lifting up to meet with the guard's. "I had to go." she almost huffed in reply, feeling more like the prisoner she was the longer she stayed here. Despite the on and off attitude, she began to notice a pattern among the staff here. Other than doing her job, she could see she was practically untouchable by the staff- or at least in the sense they couldn't physically harm her. With the odd arm grab or light push, all Marta had to do was remind them of The Boss' and that was that- though it didn't lift the soldier's attitude towards her when she started to ignore their orders.

"Oh, well..." the soldier started, suddenly at a loss for words. "Your back on the clock now."

It had been roughly two and a half days since the last session that ended with nearly angering The Fury and having the whole place burnt down. With that time in between, Marta took it in to recompose herself again and mentally prepare for the next member of the Cobras, all the while having any food and water being brought to her room as the hours crawled by. To say the least, the food did wonders in taking her mind off the possible near-death experience. Not exactly the worst she's ever had, it certainly wasn't close to the best either. With the rations' initial beefy aroma as she opened the can to the somewhat oily texture and the rancid aftertaste that seemed to linger without end. Depending on how long she would be here for, Marta was growing certain that she would starve to death first. Even the water wasn't up to par in comparison to her apartment outside of Tselinoyarsk which at least didn't have a sewage-like smell. It was only a matter of time before nature took its' course.

The guard pointed impatiently in the direction to go with his rifle. "You've wasted enough time." 

Marta took in the empty room as she entered only to look back in doubt to the guard. "But there's no one here."

Without a reply, he closed the door. Perhaps he meant that in the fact they wanted her to be in the room first before they sent in the 'model'?

Bringing her hands up and letting them slap at her sides, Marta made a slight spin away from the door once again doing a once over of the room but seeing nothing out of the ordinary. With a hint of deja vu, the window was once again opened but this time the sun shone in quite well. At least the weather was something to look forward to as a small breeze came through. With her pencil sharpened and ready for action as well as her paints and oils, Marta looked over the partially done portrait. Her eyes searched for anything she could at least notice and fix while she waited but it seemed so far she hadn't left much room for mistakes. A small itch crawled up the back of her neck before she gave it a quick brush of her hand. The feeling went away.

 _'I can't get in trouble if I'm in the room and they haven't shown up yet'_ Marta mentally reassured herself as she sighed out loud. Crossing her arms over her chest, she looked to the portrait again to help bide her time- now sitting down in the chair. Minutes passed and the tickling itch came back, forcing Marta to quickly reached up and satiate the annoyance. Instead of hair or the possibility of a bug, her hands instead ran over another hand. "?!" Startled, Marta jumped to her feet and spun around to see there was no one there. She reached up again and rested her hand over the back of her neck- keeping it there.

"E-excuse me..." Marta soon called over the communicator, no longer able to sit idle. "I'm here this afternoon and no one has come up yet. I... I just wanted to know when they're on their way." 

"They're not?" The voice on the other end sounded just as confused as she was. "Huh... Stay there for now. They should have been up there fifteen minutes ago." Click.

That long ago already? She lowered the handheld down. To be under such demand, it seemed silly that she was the one waiting. The previous members of the unit seemed oddly unique that maybe this was just one of their traits? When she turned around, her eyes came upon a startling answer. A tall man before stood with his back to her. He watched the easel with his gloved hands resting over the hips of his tactical harness, head cocked to one side. 

"Not bad... not bad at all." The thin voice spoke out loud, the hissing breath carrying an undertone that immediately made Marta's hairs stand up on her arms and neck. "I wonder where I will be placed." 

"How... did you get in here?! How long have you been here?"

"And spoil the fun? That wouldn't be fair." The male turned his head first before the rest of his body followed suit. A simple fluid motion as the hazel eyes met with hers but something didn't look quite right about them. His unsettling demeanor already had Marta keeping her distance closer to the desk. He grinned widely for a brief moment before making his way up to her, his eyes taking in the fact of the obvious discomfort. A man roughly in his 50s- possibly of similar age as The Fury Marta could soon see his pupils were in fact slits like that of a reptiles as he grew closer. "Tell me, do you frighten easily?" 

Marta swallowed back as the man came to being at least a head taller than her- if not more or less in height. "I..." she found her tongue twisting as she stared back, hands resting on the desk's edge. "I uh..." Even with The Fury, Marta managed to keep a sort of headspace but why was it different now?

There was a quick gleam in his eyes as he raised a finger up between them. As Marta tried to comprehend what was happening, he sharply turned away to walk across the room- boots utterly silent as he went. "No need, I think I can come to my own conclusions." Without having to look, it was clear by the tone he was smiling. "Now... shall we, my dear?" He stretched his arms out for a moment, running one hand over his receding hairline that was edged with grey, the rest of his hair black in colour. 

"Yeah." Marta murmured as she came to, taking her time to return to the easel. Questions began to fill her mind about this man but she didn't dare ask- even if one of those questions was his name. "When you're ready."

Taking a deep breath in, he straightened his back and tilted his head slightly down. Even by looking passed the small narrow eyes that bore into her, it was the satisfied smirk that began to make her grow self conscious. Her hand naturally came up to rub the back of her neck- the itchy feeling returning. No doubt it was his doing. It was a relief whenever she had the chance to look away even if it was for a second. 

_'Do you know who I am?'_

She paused at the voice, her eyes looking up to him as the pencil lowered from the easel. "I'm..." Her voice trailed off when the other said nothing but held his devious gaze. "Nevermind." Did she imagine it? The minutes painstakingly went by but as soon as she was done his noticeable features and was free to look away for longer periods of time, she felt a wave of relief as if his simple staring was beginning to make her feel paranoid sitting there. He was even quieter than the previous members and that was saying a lot in comparison to The End who slept for a good portion of it. Why was this eating away at her so much?

Having switched to the oils, Marta leaned closer to the portrait to give the figure further detail, her eyes becoming obsessed with the new pair staring back at her. "And... we are done." she calmly stated taking comfort in that fact while trying not to express it too much. 

"May I take a peak?"

Though he looked earlier, it still felt odd to hear the question. Of course the Cobra Unit would be curious as to what the result would be but never did she stop to think if any of them would be remotely interested in the process of it. "Sure."

With the closing distance, Marta could feel her heart quickening in her chest. Lightly biting the inside of her lip, she looked away from him and back to the portrait leaning back so as to give more him room. She could sense his presence hovering over her. "And here, The Pain and I thought it would have been better to simply use a camera. Your reputation proceeds you." He patted a gloved hand over her shoulder but she didn't dare acknowledge it- even when he didn't take it away.

"Thank you." she shortly replied, waiting for him to remove his hand and take his leave. Instead, his grip slid in between her shoulder and neck and pressed down. A churning sensation started in Marta's stomach as the slight shoulder roll didn't deter him. 

"You can drop the theatrics, I know what you have up your sleeve." His head lowered closer to her side, the pronunciation in the /s/ consonants purposely teasing her ear. He reached around in front of her with an open hand. "If you please... the knife."

Marta gripped a fist tightly in her lap as she fought to urge to give in, knowing full well the x-acto knife was hidden flush against her wrist beneath the shirt. But how did he know? She watched as his fingers waved in a coaxing manner. "The Boss said I can't be harmed here." 

"And so you won't be needing the knife." He continued to curl his fingers playfully, his other hand gripping firmer over her. "My Dear..." 

The breathiness of his voice was becoming apparent as her body tensed defiantly from his touch. "I don't... have a knife." A whimper slipped out. Wrong answer.

"You may fool everyone here but not me for I am The Fear and like blood in the water I can smell your fear miles away. It betrays your bold attitude." Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply. "We can play this game all day if that's what you want. It's been so long since I got to play with my food."

Unable to withstand the man's teasing, Marta ripped herself away with a yell. Brandishing the x-acto knife, Marta jerked the weapon in his direction, a wrongful move on her part as he leaned away to the side to snatch her wrist from a different angle. Bringing her hand up with a tight grip, he stuck a leg in between and behind so all he had to do was push closer to throw off her balance. The easel was pushed off it's short legs as Marta fell partially over one of the small counters. Sounds of the brushes rolling and falling onto the floor were vaguely heard as Marta struggled to shove him away. With a grunt, the knife fell from her fingers to join the brushes on the floor, no longer able to withhold the strength as it was squeezed from her wrist.

"That's it. Let the fear take hold!" He exulted before lifting Marta back up and spinning her to fall back against him, using her own arm to pin over top of the other as his free hand wrapped around her waist. 

"L-let me go!" Marta winced, unable to get a good look at him. All she could do was observe the slight mess that was on the floor and the canvas that thankfully landed on it's back.

"How do I not know you are carrying another knife?" The Fear raised a brow. Keeping her still, the hand over her waist soon enough began to pat her form down. He ignored her struggling as he concisely felt. "When did you plan on using it? On one of the guards? Myself? Or perhaps against one of my comrades?" He lightly giggled when she refused to answer, staying quiet. "I wonder if I should give it back to you just to see what happens. I could use a decent hunt if you managed to leave this facility. A few of the scientists have gotten quite far... I'm curious for you..." 

There were so many things she could answer with but without the courage to do so- nothing could come out. The way she was pinned constricted her lungs from taking in too much air. Her dangling hand faintly twitched as the tingling numbness was setting in travelling from the tips of her fingers all the way up her forearm. A hand forced itself up under her pinned arms and rested dead center on her chest.

The Fear sighed. "I can feel it. Your heart dancing that irresistible rhythm." The hand pressed down harder making Marta bite back a groan. "How I missed it so." 

Her legs trembled as she stood helplessly beneath his grasp unable to do anything but endure his touch, chest pounding firmly to his palm every time she had to reluctantly breathe in. "I-I'll scream..."

"Oh?" The obvious doubt in his voice was more than taunting because bluffing or not, he knew with confidence what the outcome would be. "Please do." 

The teasing pushed Marta to struggle again, her body wriggling in any way to slip out. It was until The Fear's hand slipped directly over a breast that she gasped, her body unexpectedly leaning into it. "...!"

"?" Before The Fear could say anything, there came a knock at the door.

"Everything alright in there?" A voice followed. "Been hearing some ruckus from the lab next door." 

Breaking from his arms Marta collapsed to her knees, hands bracing the impact just as the door opened.

"What's going on?" The guard asked, pausing before he stepped into the room. 

"...Poor thing is dehydrated and fell." Marta didn't dare look up at The Fear as he lied on the spot, the guard coming over to investigate further while slinging the rifle over his side. "The Boss would be so disappointed in her mistreatment if she were to find out." 

"Come on..." the guard huffed as he took her by the arm. "Let's get you back to your room. Jeeze, should have said something about this..."

"N-no!" Halfway to the door, Marta pulled back but not enough to be free of the soldier. "I.... want to finish." she pulled again when the soldier urged her to follow. "Please... then I'll rest." 

"Well I don't think The Pain is free at the mom-"

"I'll fetch him." The Fear sharply turned away making a beeline to the exit. "Give me five minutes." 


	4. The Last of The Members

Just as the previous Cobra member promised, The Pain was promptly delivered arriving no later than the predicted time. It started with the guard leaving her alone in the room to the slow accumulation of buzzing. Just when Marta was contemplating an escape through the second story window in worry that The Fear himself had returned, the door opened again oddly enough feeling thankful it was a new face this time. What had set him apart to any other balaclava wearing GRU soldier was his bright yellow vest and noticeable scarring around the eyes where skin could be seen. 

Fearful of the occasional wasp that was making its' presence known with its' sporadic flying and buzzing, Marta nervously stayed by the window. 

"Now, now." The Pain spoke in a deep voice, a hand raised up. "Where are your manners?" Before the other could speak, the buzzing receded as did the population of the wasps. "We mustn't scare this one."

 _'He's talking to them...!'_ Marta thought in astonishment.

"Come, let us make this masterpiece!"

It seemed every member held some remarkable trait and just when she thought she had seen enough they continued to impress her. Graphite in hand, Marta went over and began to sketch the basics as The Pain took his prideful stance, majority of the insects gathering to his left arm and shoulder. Her hand trembled at first as all she could hear was the low buzzing of those damned wasps. Reaching over for a brush, she lightly yelped and flinched back when her hand almost touched one, fingertips mere inches away as she looked in time. Sure she had been stung in the past but even with the years in between, she remembered how badly it hurt. The pain of it.

A few hornets busied themselves by exploring around the room despite The Pain's insistent closeness and Marta's phobic reaction. The odd one shook their wings before taking off. "Yes, it is quite the face around here..." The Pain cackled. "Let's not ruin it for the rest of us." As to what that meant, Marta forced herself to disregard it and continue on- her movements now relatively slower so as not to provoke any possible stings which this man seemed to be clearly loosely concerned of. "We don't need to hear from The Boss again."

Much to further Marta's displeasure, the time it had taken to sketch The Pain doubled as she had to take short pauses to blow a wasp away from her face and refocus. Maybe it would have better to call it a day after The Fear's visit- his voice still slithering around in the back of her mind. All she could revisit was the feelings he stirred inside, how her face burned in embarrassment. Even now when she blinked, she could see his eyes staring back at her. "D-done..." she breathed through her hands while tiredly wiping her face in the process.

"From what I've heard, I don't have to worry about my portrayal in this portrait." At least The Pain sounded like he was in a decent mood today. As with most of the members, Marta didn't question it... nor care to talk back to them at all for **anything**. "I shall inform The Boss that her time is up." 

"'Her time'?" Marta repeated only to understand a few seconds after the fact that she was the leader. "Oh, right."

The older male's smirk may have been hidden, but she could tell it was there. "It seems someone has been working passed their expiry. I'll tell her to wait instead." 

"N-no...!" Marta lifted a hand up, only to curse under her breath when she almost batted a wasp by accident. "I feel pretty good about this! Please tell her to come." 

He roughly chuckled, resting a hand over his hip while glancing over his shoulder. "So determined, I like that." 

Marta watched as he walked out, wasps gradually taking their leave as well as the buzzing grew quieter and quieter. It felt comforting again to be by herself but the longer the silence lingered, the more she began to question if she truly was alone as she thought before coming across The Fear. Could he possibly be around or was it just the exhaustion taking its toll? Either way, the sooner Marta could be done this portrait, the faster she could be out of this place and away from these people... unless they had other plans for her. Hoping to take her mind off these thoughts, she turned and focused her attention on further detailing the portrait.

"Marta?" Came a softer woman's voice. "I have no issue having this portrait done at a later time if that is better for you. You must be exhausted over the last few days." 

Marta glanced up respectively but only for a second to see The Boss standing in the doorway. "Oh, no. I insist. I tend to work better with time constraints." It was a partial lie but she wasn't afraid to confess every little thing. Who knows what The Pain told her after he left. "Please, whenever you'd like to begin."

"Alright."

Leaning back for a brief moment to loosen her stiff muscles and joints, Marta leaned to the side of the easel as not one member of the Cobra Unit stood ready to be drawn but two. With The Boss, there was a man slightly behind her at her side. "Oh..."

"Is something the matter?" The Boss asked, holding her position in case the 'session' had already commenced. 

Not quite recalling the older male with her, Marta shook her head 'no'. Could this be the last of the members with her? Maybe The Pain had warned The Boss how tired Marta was and so they figured it was best to get everyone done now while they had the time? It would take a bit longer to draw both but she couldn't care about that. "Just thinking over something in my head. Nothing to worry about." To say the least, it was a huge relief to be dealing with The Boss now. Despite the older woman's predominant attitude, she felt 'safe' around her. Maybe it was just the comfort of seeing another woman or the fact this woman also seemed to be the most sane and understanding. With the ease of her hand she drew the figures, centering them in the middle of the group where a white vacant space was previously left.

"How are you feeling?"

Marta couldn't help but somewhat smile. It was a short but reassuring question. "I'm... I'm well. Thank you." With this session, there was nothing much to worry about- no bees, no threats, no yelling... none of that.

"Good because I intend to keep my promise should you finish this portrait earlier than expected." Her words made Marta pause with excitement. "My friends... are not like those you surround yourself with back home but this is because we have spent much of our lives on the battlefield. It is our home and where we have become comfortable with being. I'm sure you're feeling the exact same about us." 

It was an idea Marta had figured but never focused too much on- only enough to capture her model's emotions and essence in her images prior to moving on. It's what helped her do so well thus far. When Marta finished with The Boss, she started on the other member who was silent this entire time, his eyes somewhat visible through the round spectacles he wore. Though he had a large smile over his face, something seemed off about him. Something sad. 

Interrupting the peace was a quick beep but just as Marta was about to question it, she watched as The Boss carefully touched her own hip for a moment where a small handheld radio was strapped. "Radio. It's nothing."

"I'm actually just about done if you're needed elsewhere..." Marta said without taking her eyes off the easel other than to steal the odd look up at the grey haired man. He had a soft gaze but similar to The Fear, it was cementing itself in her mind to the point she didn't need to physically see for reference. "I'm just finishing him up but you're free to move."

"Him?" 

"Yes." As soon as Marta realized The Boss sounded confused, she lowered her hand to stop drawing. "Is he not one of the..." Her voice trailed off as she noticed the man was gone, nowhere to be seen in the room.

"Who are you talking about?"

"The man that was beside you. With the glasses. He was just there." Marta was getting a sinking gut feeling as The Boss started to come over, her brows furrowed down stern manner. Did she make a mistake? "I just assumed he was the last of the members with you and..." She pushed herself back with the chair as The Boss sharply turned to get a look at the portrait. Worry made her constantly glance between the two, waiting for an answer. Something was clearly wrong.


	5. The Escape

"Who are you?" The Boss kept her gaze fixed on the image. When Marta sure what to say, she snapped louder this time. "I said 'who **are** you'?!" One of her white gloved hands clenched into a fist as the other was suddenly pushing against Marta's chest shoving her backwards in the chair and down to the ground with surprising strength. Marta stared up at the light ashen blue eyes as she lay pinned. 

I-I don't know what you're talking about!" Marta gasped seeing nothing but anger and suspicion in the other's gaze.

"Boss!" A couple soldiers came over to the doorway though Marta didn't dare budge to see. No doubt the commotion caught their attention but judging as how they kept their distance, they knew it wasn't anything their superior couldn't handle. 

"That man died last year, how do you know about him?!" Without her having to yell, Marta could hear the restraint in The Boss's voice as she tried to keep her composure. It probably would have been less frightening if she weren't holding back instead as her hand that kept her down trembled in anger. 

"I just drew what I s-saw! He was **right** there! I swear to God!"

The Boss just stared, skeptical of the younger woman's words. "Tch!" Soon enough and with a heavy scoff, she rose from her crouch all the while pulling and lifting Marta up at the same time. "Fine, if that is how you want to be."

"!" Wanting to argue about it further, Marta was turned around and shoved at the GRU soldiers who proceeded to grasp her arms and catch her stumble. "P-please!"

"Lock her in the guest room for now. Make sure she doesn't try to leave."

"Boss..." one of them spoke with surprise. It was as if he had never seen her act this way before. 

"Just go!" she huffed louder this time causing Marta to feel their flinches.

"You have it all wrong!" Marta called over her shoulder as the soldiers turned around and dragged her from the room. The last glimpse she caught of The Boss was with her back facing them and her head facing the not quite finished portrait. "Please listen to me! He was **right** there!" And just like when she was first kidnapped, Marta began to struggle in her capture's grips, trying to throw her weight, kick her legs, pull and lunge away- anything to try and slip from their gloved hands. The occasional scientist and GRU soldier who were nearby couldn't help but look with curiosity at the commotion.

"Alright, enough!" The soldier on Marta's right groaned as they opened her room's door and shoved her in. Just as she whirled around they slammed it closed, immediately could the sound turning a lock be heard.

What was going on? _'How could he be dead if he was standing right there?!'_.Who **was** this man that seemed to fire up The Boss so badly? Did something terrible happen between them? If he wasn't there then did that mean it was a ghost? No... no that couldn't be! With no one to confirm any of these infuriating questions, Marta gave another yell but this time much lower in ferocity. She lifted a hand up to wipe the dampness from her cheeks, eyes becoming misty from the stress. She was already lost enough being in this fortress and now to lose the one person who had dominion over her safety... Her composure was beginning to crack.

"I can't..." she mumbled, pressing the bases of her palms against her temples. The likeliness of her getting out of here now seemed to be at a standstill if not withdrawn from the original agreement- or so it was to be assumed. No one was here to help her and most likely no one knew of her whereabouts back home either. If that were the case, chances are she would just be labeled as a missing person never to be found. The thought began to worry her all the more.

"I have to get out of here...!" It was the only last logical thing to do now. If her life was now forfeit, what else did she have to lose? Dropping down quietly to look under the desk and bed, Marta began to scan and search the room's entirety for anything that could be used but as was expected- the room was spotless save for dust. As she got down to her knees, there was a strain felt against the side of her pant leg in the pocket. "?" Curious, she shifted herself and reached in only to pull out an x-acto knife.

Quietly staring down at it in her hand, the last thing she could remember of it was that it had fallen to the floor after The Fear tried to take it away... That **was** what happened wasn't it? She hadn't picked it up since then. So how could it...? "..." Her fingers curled firmly around the handle of it as she heard footsteps near the door. They passed by and faded just as fast as it came which gave some relief. With a calmer breath, she looked from the door back to her hand and then to the curtain-less window. Night was beginning to fall. Tonight she was going to leave. 

Security lights flashed on in the courtyard illuminating the edges of the building as well as the shed. The edges of the stone wall that surrounded the property seemed to be mostly ignored, covered in shade whether it was just out of the lights reaches or due to a trees branches obscuring the way. As far as Marta could tell from her room's view, there were about four guards patrolling, guns casually slung in front of them as they strolled looking around. It was somewhat of a relief to see some of them looking more so bored. Was it possible to try and sneak out? She touched the edges of the window, observing. Even with applied pressure, nothing budged. There was the idea of breaking the glass but without drawing attention? Not a chance, otherwise she might as well just announce it to everyone that she was trying to escape. Despite the stars being barely visible in the night sky, it was obvious there wasn't going to be a thunderstorm anytime soon. Rain perhaps, but not a storm. 

As if some higher power was acknowledging her desperation, all of the soldiers started heading towards the large main doors that sealed the property off, two being the official ones to unlock and pull open while the others stood back with their guns at the ready. A growling rumble could be heard growing louder in the distance followed by a horn. Diesel. Excitement growing, Marta eagerly watched as a truck came slowly pulling in. Could this be the moment? Her nerves trembled with anticipation as she forced herself to turn away and grab the chair. As soon as her hands gripped the wood-

**click**

Marta's gaze immediately went to the door, her body hunched over as she held tightly onto the chair's leg and spine. Seconds passed and nothing changed. Did that sound really happen? Letting go of the chair, she quickly and quietly tiptoed over to the door. "H-hello....?" she quietly breathed, having no idea who could be on the other side. When there was no response, Marta hesitantly reached down to the knob. Holding it tightly so as not to noticeably rattle it, she slowly gave it a turn. Her heart practically stopped in her chest when the knob continued to turn instead of stopping halfway when it was locked. She held her breath tightly as the door opened, her eyes peering through the thin crack to see no one was guarding outside. Shift change maybe? Seeing no one else in her view, she opened the door a bit more and cautiously poked her head out, looking both ways. One guard was on the same floor as her albeit his side was turned to her as he looked over the railing, other than that it appeared that the coast was clear.

With as much courage as she could muster on the spot, Marta stepped out into the hallway while pulling the door closed behind.

"Hurry it up, they want the shipment to be in Groznyj Grad by midnight. We still have to get there and then unload it!" There came the odd voice as Marta made her way through the courtyard. As to how she got outside was already surprising enough though if there were any cameras, someone will probably be looking at them once they realize she's not in the room. She had to move quickly if she wanted to put some distance between herself and this place when they do find out. With many of the guards helping to load boxes onto the truck, this made it easier to sneak around having less to worry about. Unfortunately this didn't make her smile in the slightest as she kept her back tightly pressed to walls and having to listen extra closely in case anyone was close by. All she needed to do was make one mistake and it would be her last.

Keeping down and low as she rounded the stone walls, Marta observed as the soldiers tiredly complain about the truck loading. "!" She stopped when she rounded a box and a soldier was there leaning back against it, cigarette in hand.

"Oi, come on and help us!" A soldier yelled over to him to which he sighed and shrugged back. "Lazy piece of shit!" 

"Ugh...!" The smoking soldier groaned putting out his cigarette on the box. Rolling his shoulder, he slowly made his way over to his comrades. "I'll give you lazy... I'm helping, I'm helping!"

As the space was now free, Marta quickly looked around before proceeding onward to a nearby man door. As she had done back inside the building, she rested her head close to the side of it and closed her eyes. Hearing nothing other than the crickets chirping alongside other insects of the night, Marta pulled the door open and moved back from sight. 

"Huh?" A voice from the other side came followed by a few footsteps. "Hello?" 

_'Don't hold back now, we're getting there!'_ Hands shaking Marta took a deep breath in and pushed against the door with all her might. It was hard holding back a grunt as she felt the metal weight of it move and then stop abruptly. There came a quick voice from the other side but it was instantly silenced as a thud proceeded shortly after. As she moved around to see the aftermath, her eyes fell to see a soldier laying down on his back. He was clearly out cold. Hearing another honk from the truck in the distance, Marta turned and jumped over the body. Her time was running thin as they were just about finished up. Who knew when The Boss or anyone else planned on visiting her room if they haven't already while this was going on. As she left the inner courtyard, she looked over to see a couple figures in the distance. Now, all she had to worry about was getting through the wired fence that surrounded the property. It looked barbed but that didn't mean it wasn't significant in another way. She looked over to see an electric safety sign posted. This had to be for the fence.

Eyes peeled for anything suspicious, she hastily made her way down the grassy strip leaving the figures in the distance far behind. She could almost taste the freedom and it hurt as her eyes strained in the dim lighting to see any door or clear opening. Surely, there had to be one. "!" Pausing when there was movement in the grass, Marta narrowed her gaze to see it was a rat. Dark in colour, the rodent crawled through the grass that looked just about taller than it's body. Seeing it head to the fence made the woman venture closer in curiosity. It stopped for a briefly before sniffing the air and continuing on. With a reasonable size the rat made it's way passed the fence disappearing into the slightly higher glass. Not expecting the transition to be so smoothly, Marta went closer and knelt down. With the lighting she manged to move her head at just the right angle to see the bottom line of the fence was missing- or possibly chewed away? She sized up the hole while lowering herself closer to the ground. If she moved her arms out in front and crawled, the fence would be no issue. 

There came a bark in the distance which gave Marta all the more to stop thinking and analyzing. Like a bell or alarm going off, this was her sign to get going **now**. She huffed as she worked on carefully pulling herself through, a tinge of fear in the back of her mind if she were to accidentally nick the edges of the fence. "Come on...!" she groaned with one last pull, bringing her legs together through. A wave crashed over Marta as she laid there for a moment, unable to believe how far she's come. She was out. Now, it was only a matter of how far she could make it to any nearby town or village and forget any of this. Wiping an eye, she rose to her feet and dashed off towards the forest which seemed to be the only space that wasn't guarded by anyone or that had lights shining overhead.

 _'Oh my God!'_ Marta thought as her eyes began to water with joy and excitement. It was obvious that this wasn't the time to celebrate but how could she not? Nerves taking over, she couldn't help but feel her imprisonment be left behind her. With that said, it didn't mean her anxiety wasn't still with her. The thought of getting caught now felt so near yet so far away. Not a soul in sight as she ran and stumbled through the thicket of wild plants and vegetation, her feet occasionally misjudging where there was ground and where there was a small hill or dip. A few scrapes and bruises to pay for. If it wasn't the clouds trying to hinder the moon, it was the thick trees and vines that decorated the area. Glancing back when she thought she heard distant yelling, Marta realized one second too late when her ankle brushed against something taut. With a silent gasp, she fell rough against the ground having much of the speed and weight of herself enforcing it gravity's strength.

!.!.!

"?!" Marta lifted her gaze just as there came a hollow sound against a nearby tree. Sitting up, she looked at what she tripped over. Was that...? Partially blind in the dark, she reached over to touch it. Relief came over when she realized it wasn't a snake but it was soon replaced with something else when she felt the material was instead rope. Even the slightest of tugs indicated it was tied to the tree beside to her left. A trap?

She pushed the possibility of it from her mind as she got up and started to run again- her eyes still listening back to what distracted her before in case soldiers were being dispatched to find her. Carefully, she stepped off a small grassy ledge, coming out into what looked like a small clearing- free of constant shrubs and bushes. As soon as she did this there came a few birds flying away from a distant tree. Naturally, she tried to look seeing only the birds vague figures and nothing else. "..." It was like the longer she looked at the tree with it's thick branch pointing in her direction, the more uncomfortable she was feeling. There was nothing there...

Hearing a mosquito by her ear, Marta instantly withdrew her attention and began to swat at the tiny creature. Smacking her damp neck, she continued on her way though it wasn't without stealing glances at the tree again- at least until rustling could be heard from another tree and she found herself turning to see nothing once again almost tripping in the process. _'You're just getting paranoid!'_ she tried telling herself. Alone in a dense forest where there were plenty of dangerous animals? It was recipe for paranoia and fear of ones' own safety- never mind the addition of possible armed soldiers in search for her. She lightly patted her own cheek to help stay alert. Her footing gradually improved the further she travelled, jumping over small fallen logs and ledges with ease. 

When there came another nearby rustle from amongst the tree tops, Marta looked up just in time to have the ground beneath her feet give way. Yelping, she reached out in desperation, her hands grasping and digging into the earth. Sticks and leaves fell, breaking down around the spikes that littered the pit below. She threw a quick glance down to see the frightening display that waited to greet her. The night dew of the grass moistened her hold but thankfully she slammed her hands heavily enough during the fall to get a better grip. Panicked, her feet tried kicking at the wall she hung against trying to get some sort of lower leverage. "C-come on!" she huffed, trying to feel for anything to help her.

What felt longer than mere minutes, Marta managed to pull herself up just enough to lift a leg over the edge. She rolled away from the hole, taking a moment to catch her breath before sitting up. As the moon managed to make a quick peak from behind the clouds and trees, there loomed a shadow over Marta. It swayed ever so gently catching her attention as she noticed it on the patch of grass nearby. Taking advantage of the brief pause, she looked up. Her once curious expression turning to shock and horror. Hanging over a thick branch on a rope was a lifeless figure dressed in white coat. Not too far off in the distance was another large figure although that looked to be wrapped up in a brown sack instead sagging near it's bottom. Hearing rustling again, Marta scrambled over to a nearby fallen log, shoving her shoulder tight against it while staying as low as possible. Clearly these traps weren't just for animals.

Laughter filled the night air as the moon gradually disappeared again, darkness taking vast majority of the forest floor once again. 

Remembering the x-acto knife, Marta hastily took it out from her pocket almost fumbling it out of her hands in the process as she grasped it tightly. The voice had disappeared but not the feeling of being alone which teased Marta as she struggled to see in the poor lighting. For all she knew, she was hiding in plain sight. Her heavy breath caught when there came a distant gunshot. "!"

"..." The voices were too far away to distinguish but by the sounds of it, they had come from the direction of Graniny Gorki. 

Does she risk running off or stay hidden from the soldiers until they pass through? Her heartbeat was deafening as she tried to focus and figure out her options, eyes darting and scanning across the open area of the forest floor. Her body wanted to stay put but the adrenaline coursing through felt otherwise. If she could use the patches of moonlight on the floor as a guide and be observant of any traps maybe she would have a better chance than staying and being spotted. _'Just go!'_ Sucking in a deep breath, Marta quickly pushed herself up and scrambled into a run, knife still held in one hand. 

Jumping over a large root and sliding to a stop just before a waist high rope that was stretched between two trees, Marta caught a flicker of light shining her way. In that moment a taller figure stepped up behind her but just as she reacted a second too late, she was grabbed and lifted up off the ground. A hand clasped over her mouth and within a matter of seconds, her vision was spun into a bird's eye view as she was lifted up into the treetops. Her voice muffled behind the gloved hand, she watched as the wavering lights grew closer soon moving beneath her as a couple soldiers emerged through the shadows looking around with their guns aimed. "Sh..." The other hissed by the shell of her ear, keeping her still.

"See her?" A soldier called in the distance. 

"No, must have been an animal." The other called while carefully leaning over the pit Marta had barely avoided, his curiosity grabbed when he noticed it was open and uncovered of any foliage. If she had went directly over the pit any slower, the soldier would have found her at the bottom. Seeing nothing as he swept his flashlight once over, he continued on. "With all these traps, she couldn't have gotten far if she came this way..."

"She's around here somewhere. Just keep looking."

And so as the small search party carefully went on their way. Their voices and footsteps fading into the forest night, only then did Marta begin to acknowledge the man who held her. His grip showed no signs of weakening as she tried to shift on the branch they stood on. "Leaving so soon?" There was no mistaking the voice. The Fear. When she tried to move again he tightened his grip, pressing harder over her mouth so as to involuntarily force the back of her head against his chest. His voice was now much clearer against her ear. "Now **why** would you be out here all alone... and at this hour, hm?." The slithering tone made the hairs of Marta's neck stand on end. This was only emphasized further whenever she closed her eyes as he spoke, having nothing else to really focus on. "Unless something happened, otherwise The Boss was planning to return you home safe and sound." 

Marta's fearful muffles vaguely sounded through as she tried to shrug him off but when she saw the ground below and felt her weight waver near the branch's edge she found herself automatically leaning back into The Fear for counterbalance. It was a confusing feeling to be held in such a way.

"I'm almost disappointed in how easy it was to find you here. Was I hoping for too much? Your fear is exceptionally strong tonight. Much more than the previous days... Maybe this is what made it so easy of a challenge to track you." He took a deep breath in, his nose hovering up along the side of her neck. "Delicious, I wonder if it tastes just as good." 

A sound escaped Marta as something hot and wet drag over her neck dipping down over her collarbone and just passed the collar of her shirt. It didn't take much thought to assume what it was that sensually caressed her but as for its length, she began to second guess. Was she imagining his tongue's length? At least she was spared the sight of it's forked ending. As The Fear reveled in delight, his grip partially loosened albeit just enough for Marta to rip free. Turning, she threw herself against the center of the tree, holding the trunk to keep from falling. "Y-you!" She gasped, whipping her head to see The Fear straightening his stance on the branch with his open hands slowly closing. Was he trying to remember the warm feeling he once held a second ago? His face was as serious as could be despite his playful taunting. "You don't want to do this!" 

"And why would that be?" His reptilian eyes blinked over to meet with hers and in that instant Marta couldn't help but be stricken. Though the pupils were not natural it oddly suited him with even a slight attraction. What was it that made danger so appealing? 

"B-because you unlocked my door!" It was a truth Marta wasn't at first sure of until now. Now it all made sense. "You even said about letting me go the other day. Who else would have done it?" 

The Fear scoffed, lowering his hands. "Nothing but words from the other day that are clouding your judgement. Fear affects the mind. Your brain imagines things, tries to fill in the blanks when an explanation is not readily available. Or perhaps there is something else on your mind that is making you presume such ideas?"

Marta pressed herself firmer against the tree, turning her scraped and dirt covered legs further away from his prying gaze. Last thing she was going to do was admit to any of the suggestive undertones. "Why did you hide me from those guards?" It became clear when he scowled that her deductions were correct. "You let me out to see how far I could get and then just as I'm almost caught- you're here. Why?"

"..." Stoically, he looked away while bringing his arms up to cross over his chest. No matter the length of the silence between them, they both knew he couldn't keep denying the charges.

"Please... You... you don't have to do this. I admit you caught me but what's the point if I'm not much of a challenge?" Carefully but methodically she spoke, choosing her words in an attempt to try and manipulate the other. He appeared to be a man of sport, a soldier who took pride in his work and profession. Why would someone with no skills or time on a battlefield be worth any time and effort to him when there were more important things to do? The Boss had said that The Cobras were reunited once again- surely it was not just for some recreational reunion. "I just want to go home. Why waste anymore time on me? It will already be enough trying to get through this forest alive on my own."

A small smile tugged at the corner of The Fear's thin lips and soon enough he fully turned to face her, one of his hands coming up to hold the side of his chin admiringly. "Because you had captured me so well in that portrait that I was hoping to see it through to the end with the final touches but given the fact that your life may now be at stake, I may not see it completed." He took a small step closer, tilting his head into the hand. "It's a disappointing thought, really. So I thought I'd take it upon myself to at least enjoy the time you have left. I could use a warmup before we Cobras complete our mission here."

Marta's blood ran cold. "Like game...?"

"How else did the knife find it's way back into your pocket?" A soft sigh left him. "With such fear and vigor, I was really looking forward to seeing you use it. It's no fun when there's no threat involved. No honour. No pride. No enjoyment." When Marta patted her sides, he shook his head with a tsk. "You dropped it as soon as your feet left the forest floor." 

"Listen, I've already wasted enough of your time, why ruin your own self reputation? Besides, there's no point in even keeping me here." A tear seeped out the corner of her eye. "Please, I'll do anything if you let me go."

His golden brown eyes lolled over, lips pursing thinly. "You drive quite a bargain... 'anything'..." It was almost gut wrenching to hear him repeat the word, Marta wishing to have never spoken it with such desperation though it only felt natural to do so. "Hm..." Focusing on the plea, The Fear turned away in thought.

With his back now facing her, Marta began to look around. Just out of arms reach to her left was a thick vine with it's end dangling down to the ground floor while the other end was wrapped up around the higher branches. At this point, anything was worth trying. Does she risk provoking a chase or stay put and accept a fate worse than death or what was going to happen at Graniny Gorki? The answer became immediately clear as soon as she remembered the odds against her. Without much afterthought, Marta lunged out over the edge and grasped at the vine. If she missed- it would be all over in seconds.

"Hm?" Hearing the sudden scraping sound behind him, The Fear turned in time to see Marta's legs becoming the last thing of her to disappear from his sight. For once feeling a surge of surprise and alertness, he quickly leaned over the edge hand already reaching for the crossbow that was carried over his back.

Marta grabbed at the vine for support, her body somewhat jerking in midair as it strained to hold her weight. Her shoulder brushed rudely against the trunk of the tree causing part of her shirt to rip as the skin beneath immediately grew red in irritation and minor scratches that barely mustered up blood. Focused on the landing, the pain for it didn't come through though It all happened so quickly. Had she not been so focused she would have seen arrows following after her missing by mere seconds and striking the tree in her stead. It was surprising nothing was broken as she landed having the wind partially knocked out of her. Should she live through this, the side of her body would become resentfully bruised. Pushing and crawling out around the tree, she gasped for some more air. _'I'm alive!'_ she thought in astonishment.

"Sneaky trick!" The Fear shouted, his voice echoing from the altitude. "and here you almost had me fooled!"

"Fuck!" Marta grunted as she pushed off the trunk and started to run, her leg aching in pain and causing a minor limp though it subsided as she took more steps. Whether this was all futile, she had to at least try knowing any chances she possibly had prior were now forfeited. The Fear now had his full undivided attention set on her and there was no stopping it as his laughter sounded out. The chase was on. Hearing the odd rustling from above-with sometimes it coming from behind and sometimes ahead, Marta began to make turns left and right weaving her path in a vain attempt to avert him predicting where she was going to next, sometimes seeing the odd cluster of leavings falling but never what caused them. Finally noticing the sounds of pursuit had ceased, she turned to look back while pushing passed a large bush. If she had continued to ignore the Cobra member she would have avoided the drop off that was hidden by the greenery. Ground crumbling and giving way, Marta blindly reached out as she fell. Not even a scream came through as she plummeted, wind rushing passed her ears with deafening volume. With only a split second to take in the vast height, Marta could feel her stomach forcefully churning upwards, her mind suddenly lightheaded at the realization of the mistake as the edge behind her grew distant. With a longer fall than the treetops and nothing to help brace for impact Marta hit hard, her vision going completely black just as an odd refreshing sensation greeted her skin.

"!" Suddenly opening her eyes, a surge of water came rushing up Marta's throat, her body instinctively turning to one side to puke. Strength completely sapped, she collapsed on her shoulder and rolled again onto her back. Her eyes tiredly fluttered as the numbing pain greeted her body. Every inch ached. Every limb felt like it weighed an unbearable amount. "..." Taking in deep breaths, Marta looked up to see that the clouds were gone leaving the moon all alone in it's bright nakedness in the night sky. She wanted to believe this was all a bad dream but the sounds of the forest night reaching her ears was a reminder saying otherwise. A kneeling figure shifted their weight beside her, drawing her attention to look over. 

The Fear broke a humoured breath, hands over his knees. "And what a trick indeed." Adrenaline completely exhausted, Marta could only watch him, laying beneath in defeat. He licked his lips, jerking his head in such a way to create a quick shifting crack. "I almost lost you back there." 

"Wh... wha..." Her breathing grew calmer but the ability to form words was a struggle as her body tried to preserve what energy it had left with even her vision being somewhat subpar, given him an eerily blurry fuzz to his appearance..

"You have not only entertained me once or twice, but three times." With a quick flick up of his hand, he raised three fingers, giving them each a little wave. "It would be a waste to have let you drown." Getting to his feet and adjusting his strung up crossbow, he scooped Marta up with ease and tossed her over his shoulder. He acknowledged her whimper with a light but sinister chuckle as she didn't put up any fight. "Oh no, killing you is the last thing on my mind especially when I've decided to take you up on your offer." 

Did she hear him right? He spoke clearly enough and yet the dread didn't go away. Something wasn't right...

He started walking along the shore of the pond and then back towards the edges of the forest only stopping briefly as he looked to the shoulder that carried her. "Yes, I will let you go free, though I don't recall ever hearing **when** you wanted it to happen only so long as you fulfilled my end of the bargain which we never established before you decided to run off." Though there was barely any resistance, The Fear could tell Marta was trying to move. A grin played over, excitement building in his voice as it grew higher in pitch. "You see, I have been gathering various species of both flora and fauna and would very much like to test their neurotoxins out to examine the side effects, after all, such properties can be a useful aid in the field. All it takes is one little nick and time takes care of the rest. It is only recent but did you know that you can separate certain elements within them and utilize the ones you want? To just think of the different kinds of results you can achieve! Ahhh... I'm looking forward to this and the fun we shall have!" 

Marta listened helplessly in the man's arms, her body quivering in utter terror. Being unable to see as The Fear went up to the base of a tree, she could hear the clicking of what sounded like links and buckles. Her body was then gripped tightly as a loud snapping sound cracked from above. Within seconds she was abruptly hoisted up off the ground, only then finally understanding what it was to truly feel fear as laughter filled the forest night.


End file.
